CWU Alumna Provides Aid in Brazil's Favelas

Berit Ollestad, a 2003 alumna of CWU's Law and Justice program, has made it a point to take advantage of her good fortune by helping others.

In 2002, she and her husband moved to Brazil, where Ollestad learned about favelas.

Literally translating to "little ranch," the favelas of Brazil are essentially the slums of the cities in Brazil, where the "have-nots"–of which there are many–live. "In Brazil, there is no middle class," Ollestad said. "Most, unfortunately, live in poverty."

Since leaving Brazil about seven years ago, Ollestad has maintained contact there, which led her to Rocinha, in Rio de Janeiro, a favela of about 300,000 people. "I make trips to Brazil loaded down with a variety of items such as clothes, shoes, stuffed animals, toothbrushes," she said.